Township · Illinois
Forreston Township, Illinois
Forreston Township, township, in Ogle County, Illinois. Forreston Township had 1,952 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,005 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,907 (±274). GEOID 1714127078.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,952
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,005 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,907 ±274
Median household income
$72,061
±$12,338 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$156,300
±$16,504 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$781
±$212 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Forreston Township and what county is it in?
Forreston Township is a township in Ogle County, Illinois. It covers 36.3 square miles of land, 55 residents per square mile in 2020.
2 places lie inside Forreston Township: Forreston (village, 1,435 in 2020) and Baileyville (CDP, 187 in 2020).
Forreston Township is in the Rochelle, IL micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Forreston Township, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,952 people lived in Forreston Township on July 1, 2025, down 2.2% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 2,005 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,907 (±274).
| Measure | Forreston Township | Ogle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,907±274 | 51,495 | no clear change |
| Households | 817±115 | 20,821 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.33±0.23 | 2.45 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 883±110 | 22,682 | no clear change |
Forreston Township's population since 2000
From 2,122 in 2000 to 1,952 in 2025: down 8.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Forreston Township as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Forreston Township?
The median resident of Forreston Township is 39.5 years old; 27.9% are under 18 and 20.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.9%.
| Measure | Forreston Township | Ogle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5±4.5 | 42.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.9%±4.4 pts | 22.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.5%±5.2 pts | 20.0% | – |
| Male | 49.0%±3.9 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.9%±4.1 pts | 11.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.5%±4.9 pts | 83.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.3%±1.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.4%±2.0 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.9%±1.3 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.6%±1.7 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.0%±4.1 pts | 8.7% | – |
| With a disability | 15.6%±4.5 pts | 14.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.9%±1.8 pts | 4.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.9%±3.3 pts | 91.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.1%±5.6 pts | 24.3% | +12.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.2%±4.2 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.2%±4.0 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Forreston Township earn?
Half of Forreston Township's 817 households earn less than $72,061 a year (±$12,338), against $82,132 in Ogle County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $68,391 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Forreston Township | Ogle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,061±$12,338 | $82,132 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $81,255±$8,071 | $98,173 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,354±$3,611 | $40,038 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.5%±2.6 pts | 8.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.6%±2.7 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.0%±5.1 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.2%±4.7 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.8%±5.5 pts | 88.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Forreston Township?
Owners occupy 85.9% of Forreston Township's occupied homes and renters 14.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $156,300 by its owner (±$16,504). The median renter pays $781 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Forreston Township | Ogle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $156,300±$16,504 | $189,200 | +$35,938 |
| Median gross rent | $781±$212 | $936 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 13.9%±10.4 pts | 29.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,266±$163 | $1,533 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.9%±5.6 pts | 75.4% | +10.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 14.1%±5.6 pts | 24.6% | – |
| Housing units | 883±110 | 22,682 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.8%±3.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±27.2 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.1%±5.7 pts | 82.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.8%±1.7 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±4.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.9%±3.7 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 36.6%±7.9 pts | 20.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.4%±3.6 pts | 5.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Forreston Township work and get to work?
77.9% of Forreston Township's workers drive alone and 5.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.5%.
| Measure | Forreston Township | Ogle County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.1%±6.2 pts | 61.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5%±3.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.9%±6.0 pts | 80.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.7%±4.6 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.1%±1.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 3.6%±2.8 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.8%±3.1 pts | 8.0% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.5 min±3.5 | 26.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Forreston Township?
No census tract lies mostly in Forreston Township; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9608Ogle County | 3,263 | $78,854 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Forreston Township) · Census block assignment files
How does Forreston Township compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Forreston Township is the 4,933rd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 440th-most populous of 1,407 in Illinois.
Forreston Township ranks 805th of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 440th | 1,407 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 727th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 1,134th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 805th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 866th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 781st | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 1,019th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 921st | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 680th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 876th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 320th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 909th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 707th | 1,382 |
Forreston Township's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Forreston Township with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Forreston Township?
18 of the 57 figures for Forreston Township on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Forreston Township are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.